US-AFGHANISTAN
Obama expects support for more Afghanistan troops
WASHINGTON (AP) — With polls indicating that a majority of Americans oppose the war in Afghanistan, President Barack Obama is preparing to make the case for additional U.S. troops there.
But a spokesman says in his speech Tuesday night from West Point, Obama will also talk about an exit strategy. Obama this week promised to "finish the job" in Afghanistan while he's in office.
Still, the troop surge -- which military officials say could top 30,000 personnel -- will be the second since Obama took office. And liberal Democrats are lining up against it, partly because of the cost.
Spokesman Robert Gibbs says Obama's recent meetings with military advisers have focused in part on how to train Afghanistan's police and army to secure areas taken from the Taliban, so that U.S. forces can leave.
AFGHANISTAN
NATO: Taliban have gained momentum
KABUL (AP) — An official with the NATO-led force in Afghanistan concedes that the Taliban have gained momentum in their insurgency.
His comments come as the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, insists the insurgents have gained the upper hand and are winning the war.
Canadian Brigadier General Eric Tremblay says the NATO force needs to "slow them down." Tremblay says the militants are aware that progress is being made in the country with international support. He says that's why the Taliban want to undermine the government.
In his message, the Taliban leader urged Afghans to break off relations with what he calls "this stooge Kabul administration." Mullah Omar says there will be no negotiations that would prolong the presence of foreign forces in the country.
OBAMA-COPENHAGEN
Obama to outline US climate goals in Denmark
WASHINGTON (AP) — When a global conference on climate change gets under way next month in Denmark, President Barack Obama will be representing the United States.
He's planning to attend the start of the conference, and present a U.S. commitment to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent over the next decade.
The White House says Obama's decision to take part in the global climate summit shows his continuing commitment to finding a solution to the threat of climate change.
US-LAND MINES
US revises statement on land mine policy
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is backtracking on an announcement that it had reviewed its policy allowing military use of land mines and decided to leave it in place.
On Tuesday, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said the administration had completed a review and decided not sign a treaty banning land mines.
But in a statement Wednesday, Kelly said that there had been only a partial review concerning who would represent the United States at a conference on the international Mine Ban Treaty next week in Cartegena, Colombia.
Kelly said the administration is still looking at its overall policy. The new statement follows criticism by Democratic Sen. Patrick Leahy.
More than 150 countries have agreed to the treaty's provisions to end the production, use, stockpiling and trade in mines.
SEPT 11-PAGER MESSAGES
Group posting 573,000 pager messages from 9/11
NEW YORK (AP) — An activist Web site has posted what it says are 573,000 pager messages sent on Sept. 11, 2001.
Wikileaks says some of the messages were sent by federal and local officials, but most appeared to be from regular people, including frantic people trying to reach loved ones in and around the World Trade Center.
A Wikileaks spokesman says the messages were given to the group anonymously. The messages were being posted through 3 a.m. EST Thursday.
The New York police and fire departments said they could not confirm that the messages were actual department communications. But a pager company, USA Mobility, said it was troubled to learn that messages appear to have been intercepted.
Wikileaks says its goal is to promote transparency by posting leaked documents.
IRAN-US HIKERS
Mothers of Americans held in Iran send video
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The mothers of three Americans held captive in Iran have recorded video messages they hope Iranian authorities will deliver to their children.
From their homes in Minnesota, California and Pennsylvania, the mothers of Shane Bauer, Nora Shourd and Josh Fattal ask their kids to stay positive and express hope that Iranian authorities will take mercy on them.
The three were detained in July after straying across the Iranian border from Iraq. Their families say they were hiking, but an Iranian prosecutor recently accused them of espionage.
The families sent copies of the video to the Iranian ambassador to the U.N. and to Iranian authorities asking they be given to their children. The video was posted on the families' Web site on Wednesday.
ANESTHESIA ASSAULT
Ga. nurse anesthetist accused of abusing patients
ATLANTA (AP) — Police say a metro Atlanta nurse anesthetist has been charged with molesting and sodomizing anesthetized patients in dental and medical offices, and they say the videotaped abuses could involve 100 or more victims.
Paul Patrick Serdula, who worked in dental and medical offices across metro Atlanta, was arrested Monday night on child molestation and sodomy charges. Cobb County police said they found videos showing "inappropriate criminal conduct" against people who were under anesthesia at various offices.
Cobb County Officer Joe Hernandez said there could be "upwards of 100 victims."
The 47-year-old Serdula, who is being held at the Cobb County Jail without bond, was arrested Nov. 18 and was re-arrested on more charges less than a week later.
OBAMAS-TURKEY DELIVERY
Obama family distributes Thanksgiving treats
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama family is passing out turkeys, stuffing and other Thanksgiving favorites to people at a food pantry organization.
President Barack Obama tucked pumpkin pies into people's bags at Martha's Table in downtown Washington on Wednesday evening and wished them a happy holiday.
Obama's two daughters, first lady Michelle Obama and her mother, Marian Robinson, worked alongside the president, putting canned food, stuffing and fresh vegetables into bags. The president's mother-in-law also handed out bags with frozen turkeys.
Children who attend educational services at the organization designed some of the bags, which were printed with the words "Every bag counts."
THANKSGIVING TRAVEL
Many Americans choosing not to fly home for Thanksgiving
CHICAGO (AP) — Americans whose budgets are still pinched by the economy have been finding cheaper ways to travel today for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Many are driving or taking trains and buses instead of paying more for air fare. And some are simply staying home.
Cathy Smith has flown home to Tennessee in the past, but the 18-year-old was taking a bus today. Her grandparents, who paid for her ticket, said a flight cost too much.
And in some cases, the switch to the roads and rails has meant smaller and calmer crowds at the airports. An employee at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport says there's a noticeable change from last year.
That may be little consolation for drivers trying to make their way through heavy holiday traffic.
By late this afternoon on the New Jersey Turnpike, there was an 18-mile backup northbound and a 13-mile delay southbound.
STATE DINNER-UNINVITED GUESTS
NEW: Couple slips though security to crash state dinner
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Secret Service says it's looking into its own security procedures after determining that two people crashed Tuesday night's state dinner at the White House.
Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan says that President Barack Obama was never in any danger. Donovan says the party crashers went through the same security screening as the 300-plus people actually invited to the dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Donovan says the Secret Service first learned about the security breach Wednesday morning after media inquiries prompted by the crashers' online boasts about having attended the private event.
The Washington Post reports that photos from the state dinner appear on the Facebook page of one of the dinner crashers.
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